Long Lake is located near Lake Jewitt in western OTC

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

The county board of commissioners, on June 24, received a petition from Long Lake property owners, southeast of Erhard and east of Elizabeth, to establish a Lake Improvement District (LID). The petition was signed by the majority of property owners at Long Lake.

A final decision by the county board will be made at a later date, after more information is provided by the petitioners. LIDs allow for greater local involvement in lake management activities. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) also has the authority to be part of LID approvals.

A new LID, if enacted following a public hearing, must pass its budget recommendations through the county board for approval. The county collects the necessary funds through property taxes and other methods and then disburses those funds to the LID.

LIDs already are in place in Otter Tail County at locations such as Lake Lida east of Pelican Rapids, Eagle Lake south of Battle Lake and Devils Lake northwest of Perham.

In the event a Lake Improvement District is terminated or fails to meet its obligations, LID responsibilities and liabilities pass to the county that established the district. The LID is also responsible for preparing an annual report to the county with a copy submitted to the DNR.

More about Long Lake 

application for LID

Invasive species at Long Lake, as noted at the June 24 county board meeting, are the primary issue for Long Lake in western Otter Tail County. Zebra Mussels and Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLP) are present within the lake. 

Lake residents point out that invasive species have degraded water quality which, in turn, decreases the quality of life for lake residents and visitors. As an example, CLP weed mats interfere with fishing, water skiing, wake boarding and pleasure cruising.

Long Lake residents emphasize that the common thread for quality of life in lakes country of west central Minnesota is the quality of lakes. They pledge that their Lake Improvement District, if approved, will allow residents to work to ensure that the water quality and resulting quality of life will be sustained and improved.

The level of commitment to water quality and lake health would be the discretion of the LID board of directors.